The Li Siguang Scholarship

The University of Birmingham is proud of its long history of engagement with China and this year the relationship will be further enhanced with the opening of University of Birmingham representative offices in Beijing and Shanghai. We welcomed our first students from China in 1907 and since then we have provided education for more than 7000 Chinese scholars.

The Birmingham Li Siguang (李四光) PhD Scholarship

The University of Birmingham is offering 4 PhD scholarships for students from China for 2015 entry. This scholarship scheme is named in honour of Li Siguang, one of Birmingham’s most famous Chinese graduates and offered in partnership with the China Scholarship Council (CSC).

The scholarship is open to all fields of study, however preference is given to research in Science and Technology.

There are currently nearly 200 PhD students from China studying at Birmingham in a wide variety of fields including:

李四光 and the University of Birmingham

Li Siguang is one of the best-known scientists in China, with a record of important discoveries as an academic. In geological circles, J S Lee (as he was known in publications) was one of the scholars whose work inspired the theory of plate dynamics and a fuller understanding of how the continents and oceans move around the planet.

In terms of his contribution to his country, he was behind the discovery of much of China’s oil and gas reserves. He was a pioneer in predicting earthquakes, a trailblazer in establishing the geological history of China, and an acute discoverer of new resources.

Born in Huanggang, Hubei Province in 1889 Li Siguang arrived in Birmingham in 1914 to study in the University of Birmingham’s School of Mining. Li Siguang received his BSc in 1917 and his MSc in 1918. Having then spent several years researching geology in China, Li Siguang returned to the University of Birmingham for his doctorate, awarded in 1931. Subsequently his daughter studied for an MSc in Metallurgy Physics, graduating in 1948.

Li Siguang went on to become Professor at Peking University. He then progressed to become an academician and Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with other prestigious positions such as Minister for Geology and President of the Chinese Society for Science and Technology. He died in 1971, but his achievements are still being recognised today, with the Chinese Academy of Sciences acknowledging its debt to his work by arranging in 2009 for a minor planet to be named Li Siguang in his honour.

李四光 PhD Scholarships eligibility and application procedures

Four scholarships a year will be awarded, on a competitive basis, for three years of PhD study at the University of Birmingham to include tuition fees and living costs.

Applications to CSC are open 20 March to 5 April. Please note, CSC will only consider applicants who are holding an offer from and recommended by the University of Birmingham. All recommended candidates have been notified.

In order to apply to the CSC, you must complete an application form and employer reference form. For further details, including the full amount of the award, the application procedure and deadlines, please visit the China Scholarship Council website.